September 18, 2026

Death toll from Japan earthquake rises to 34

Officials have updated the casualty figures as rescue and assessment work continues

Death toll from Japan earthquake rises to 34
Rescuers work at the damaged Aeon Mall shopping centre, where an explosion occurred after an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 struck Japan's southern Kumamoto prefecture, in Kashima Town, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, Jul 29, 2026. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

bdnews24.com

Reuters

Published : 31 Jul 2026, 02:39 PM

Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:29 AM

The death toll from a powerful earthquake that hit southwestern Japan earlier this week rose to 34 on Friday from 25 previously, the Kumamoto prefecture government said in a statement.

A further six people have been seriously injured by the earthquake that struck late on Tuesday, leading to buildings collapsing, roads rupturing and supply chains getting snarled.

Nearly half of those killed were caught up in two major incidents: Nippon Paper Industries' paper mill, which suffered major structural damage, and Aeon's shopping mall, where a possible gas explosion occurred.

Related Stories